No, I didn't kill Vincent. I might have caused him some bruises while dragging him into the bathroom, but he'll live.

"So, what do you think? Was I convincing enough as a dead man?" Vincent asked me when we were changing our clothes.

"Let's hope so."

He acted like it was the greatest adventure of his life, while to me it was a nightmare. He didn't see any bad guys, only me, and that's probably why he didn't take the situation seriously enough. It must have felt surreal to him. In a way it still did to me too. But unlike Vincent I had to keep thinking about all the things that could go wrong and the lives that were at stake.

"Try not to enjoy this too much, Vincent. Do you have any weapons here?"

"Weapons? Like kitchen knives or an ice pick?" When I didn't laugh, he gave out a sigh. "There's a shotgun in the closet and I may have a six-shooter in a drawer in my bedroom."

Mmmm a shotgun? I knew what mess I could cause with a shotgun at close range where I was going and the idea of having it with me was very tempting, but carrying it all the way back to Lien's base would only slow me down and if a random camper accidentally saw me with it they could get unwelcome ideas.

"I'll take the six-shooter. And I'm taking a couple of those kitchen knives too, if you don't mind." Yes, knives. Did I mention I'm good with throwing weapons too, not just guns? Some jobs require more stealthy approach.

"Time for you to take off, Vince. Remember, don't stop running, keep the distance between yourself and them - you'll notice them soon enough, I'm sure - so that they can't discover you're not me. And when you reach the location, call the police and tell them about the hostages, just in case I don't make it."

"Nonsense. We'll joke about this over a drink some day," Vincent said and patted my back. With that he was on his way.

Soon after I was on mine. ​​In the opposite direction.

​* * * * *

Kellie

I have no idea how I managed to convince detective Mitchel to have someone working on that computer we had dug up in the basement right away but I did. I gave him my and aunt's Marissa phone number and urged him to call us even if they find something seemingly insignificant. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until I have my family back.

​"Miss Heffner, you really should get some sleep. We'll find them, don't worry."

I wanted to tell him I knew about his partner's theory and what I thought about it, but that would get us nowhere. However, I didn't feel the same calmness he did. But as long as he's willing to help I needed to be nice. And I must have done something right because we received a call from from him almost three hours later. My aunt did to be precise, but she put the call on loud speaker so I could hear it too.

"Mrs. Heffner," the detective said, "my boys haven't found any files regarding Heffner family or Mr. Corleonesi yet in your father's computer. But they only checked what's on the hard drive now, not what have been deleted. I'm told they'll need a little more time for that. There's something unusual thought I wanted to ask you about. Did you know your father had a property in Granite Falls?"

Aunt Marissa shot a puzzled look at me. "He had many properties, but I don't recall any particular in Granite Falls. Why?"

"The thing is," continued detective Mitchel, "that he invested a large sum of money into modernizing it and then couple of weeks before his death he sold it for a nominal price to a Mr. Lien. He practically gave it to him. Was he a family friend or something?"

Marissa shook her head before she realized that the detective cannot see her. "Never heard of him. He's definitely not a family friend. My father would never just give anything to anyone. That's really weird."

I racked my brain trying to figure out how this information could be connected to my family's disappearance. Okay, assuming that Marissa's father really wanted to hurt Tony by kidnapping his son and the woman he loved, he would need a place to hold them. And what place could be better than one in the middle of nowhere like Granite Falls. But he was too old or he found out he's dying and couldn't finish the goal. So he hired someone else to do it and even provided the means. No... it can't be this simple or can it?

"Detective Mitchel, exactly what kind of modernization had my aunt's father paid for? Reinforced door and such stuff?"

There was a moment of silence at the detective's end. "How did you...? Shit! Erm... sorry for that... you think they're being held there, don't you?"

I felt tears stinging my eyes as I imagined my mom and Chris locked in a cold basement in the middle of Granite Falls. I blinked to hold back the tears to be able to speak again. "Can you go there and check if I am right?"

Detective Mitchel cleared his throat, "I'm afraid the place is out of my jurisdiction. But I will contact local office of the rangers and ask them for a favour. If we are lucky they will send a patrol there."

I almost stopped breathing. "And if we are not lucky?"

"In that case we'll have to leave it on my boss to pull the right strings. But don't lose hope just yet, miss Heffner. ​

* * * * *

Tony

I ran half of the distance back to Lien's base in much shorter time than it took me to get to Vincent's place. Fear gave me speed. There was no going back now. I broke Lien's rules. I feared I would fail my loved ones. I almost forgot how vulnerable love can make you. Oh, Beryl, I wish I could give you a better hero than myself. I'm not good in saving people. I already failed once in the past.

As if to confirm my thoughts my phone started vibrating in my pocket. My stomach knotted. Something went wrong. No matter what I do now, I'm going to be late. Panting I answered the call.

"Tony, Tony, Tony," said Lien and I could hear him smiling. "You almost pulled it off. Alas, it turned out that lawyers are not good runners. At least Mr. Salvatore wasn't. If he didn't break his ankle in his attempt to keep my trained boys far behind him, we wouldn't learn about your little trick."

Vincent, you clumsy idiot!

"And while my boys are dragging your new friend back to me so I could personally see to it that you finish the job, we have another important thing to discuss. You have to be penalized for breaking the rules. Do you know what it means, Tony? Or you didn't understand the rules? Hmm?"

"I did," I said through clenched teeth.

"Good, because I've just had the pleasure of explaining them to young Mr. Heffner and his mother. They seemed to understand them perfectly, is that correct, Mrs. Heffner? Or is it Mrs. Kane now?"

I could not speak. My voice would break in an instant if I tried. I could not give Lien the satisfaction of hearing my pain. At the same time I missed my chance to tell Beryl what she already must have known. That I loved her more than my own life.

"Do you hear me, Tony? Save our son! Please!"

Then I heard two shots in quick succession - each of them made me flinch - followed by Chris shrieking in the background, "Mom! Nooo!"

Deep inside I wanted to cling to the little hope that Lien didn't really kill her, that it was just another part of this cruel game. I didn't see her die with my own eyes after all. But Lien was as ruthless as I was when it came to effectivity and fullfiling threats. If there were any doubts my son's scream swept them away. He saw it happen, he was my eyes.

Two shots. Did he miss with the first one? Was she still alive when he fired the second one? Shut up! I was always able to kill with the first. Did he aim at her heart and then went for the head? Shut up! Or was the second shot just to make sure she's dead? Shut up! Shut up! SHUT THE FUCK UP!

I heard someone breathing heavily, but it couldn't have been me, because I was sure I stopped breathing when the first shot had been fired. I died with her. A huge crater gaped where my heart used to be. There was only an abyss of despair and I threw myself into it. I dropped the phone no longer listening to what Lien was saying. It didn't matter anymore.

You must save Chris!

How can I save him when I couldn't even save her?

​Get up! We are going to take back our sons! Both of them. Let's massacre those bastards! Nobody messes with Meatball and walks away in one piece.

Blood for blood, Tony! Much more of their blood for every drop of ours!

Make them pay for what they did to us! Did they rip our heart out? Fine, we don't need it anymore! Come, Tony, my hand will be firm where your would tremble, I will hold us together where you would shatter into pieces. I won't blink where you would hesitate. Come, Tony, we have a work to do...

I found him. I found my son alive.

We have to take care of Lien first.

No, I have to take care of my son and his mother.

That is not a very smart strategy.

Shut up!​

I knew I would never forget the sight of my son clutching his mother's dead body. I should have known it wasn't going to be easy to separate him from her. I felt I might lose it again right there. She's so beautiful even in death.

We'll mourn her later, Tony. Now is not the time.

"Chris..." I said and his name sounded more like a croak from my mouth.

"You are late," he accused me.

"I'm here now."

"She was so sure you'd come and save us. We don't need your help anymore."

"Chris, I need to get you both out of here. Let me carry your mother..."

"Don't even try to touch her!" he lashed out. "This is all your fault. He told us. The white-haired man. They took us only because of you. Because you had killed someone he cared about. We never had a chance to get out of here! We couldn't do anything to save ourselves. We were sentenced to death the moment they took us. If I wasn't related to you they would have never took me. If mom didn't love you, she'd still be alive. You and only you are to blame for this!"

"You are right, Chris."

"I wish you weren't my father. Haven't we suffered enough for your crimes? All my childhood I kept hearing about my father the killer. You were never there for me. When I needed a father I had to go to my uncle." He sniffed. "Mom had to marry someone else because you couldn't live with us in Newcrest, because every cop there is after you. Loving you had never brought us any good only pain and it all led to this. I renounce you as my father."

"What are you saying? You can't do that. I will always be your father, Chris."

"I will deny you! Stay away from our family. We don't want to get all killed because of you! We don't want you in our lives!"

His words cut deep into what was left of my heart. I squatted down next to him. "Let's not fight over this now, son. We need to go. Let me carry your mother."

"Don't you dare to touch her!"

Wouldn't it be easier to just knock the stubborn boy out and carry them both outside one by one?

Shut up!

Never had I imagined I would have to fight my son over his mother's body. I finally convinced him to let go and lifted her in my arms. That was where she always belonged after all. I had to supress the urge to give up and just sit down on the floor and rock her in my arms like Chris had. Not yet, Tony, not yet. A painful sigh escaped my lips. I gently carried Beryl out of the dreadful room and started climbing the stairs leading to the back exit. Chris followed me and I could feel his glare in my back.We were in the middle of the stairs when I heard a car engine starting up. It seemed Lien finally noticed he'd lost the manpower and decided to run for it. We will find him later and deal with him.

Once we exited the building it was Chris who first noticed the lights of a police car between trees in the distance. He smirked. "It's your cue to leave again, father."

As much as I hated to admit it he was right. I didn't like the idea of leaving him and Beryl there, but I had no choice. I knew Chris would be safe when the police gets there. I'd be of no use to him if I let them arrest me. And somebody has to track down Lien.

But it was so hard to go, especially in the face of Chris' contempt. I could only hope that one day he might understand.